Roland Cloud

[ghettosynth]

It would be sad if a reputable company like Roland would actually employ such tactics.

Right? I don't know how anyone could have predicted that Roland wouldn't live up to promises related to future software.

Seriously, I bet on this horse though, so I expect you are wrong this time.

Well I hope for your sake that I am, but, I'm still going to say no to plugin subscriptions. Really, I haven't said yes to a new Roland synth since about 96 or 97 or so, whenever they blew out the JD800.

On that note, holy shit, the prices are through the roof, I guess mine will be for sale soon!

[SLiC]

So, is this whole Roland Cloud thing going exactly as naysayers predicted?

Aside from the 'what happens when you cancel after 12 months' issue, I suspect most of us that are actually subscribed are very happy with the 'cost to value' and the quality of the plugs (they are some of the very best VST's available IMHO).


The cloud product is very good, Roland just need to sort out the comms!

[fmr]

So, is this whole Roland Cloud thing going exactly as naysayers predicted?

Aside from the 'what happens when you cancel after 12 months' issue, I suspect most of us that are actually subscribed are very happy with the 'cost to value' and the quality of the plugs (they are some of the very best VST's available IMHO).


The cloud product is very good, Roland just need to sort out the comms!

100% agree

[SLiC]

"Interna" Series seem to be available now in the Cloud - SRX Dance Trax and SRX World....

Nothing on the site about them so far...

Is this a new catogory? I diont remeber seeing it before!

[beely]

Is this a new catogory? I diont remeber seeing it before!

Yes, it's new, that's why I mentioned it. It doesn't work yet - nothing downloads - but I wonder (hoping!) if this is extra "plugin" SRX expansions ("Internal") for an updated JV-1080 plugin that work as the original expansion cards, rather than having these extra plugins...

Either that, or it's a new category for another set of Concerto sampled instruments...

[ENV1]

Aside from the 'what happens when you cancel after 12 months' issue, I suspect most of us that are actually subscribed are very happy with the 'cost to value' and the quality of the plugs...

Its not the only issue though. As was rightly pointed out earlier by someone else, the very first users who bought into the pre-cloud perma-license model pretty much got stiffed in the end too since Roland now refuses to update these versions on the grounds that they are 'different products'. But this is of course total BS since anyone intelligent enough to know the difference between a reverb and a pizza can see that the products themselves are exactly the same except for the fact that they are employing slightly different forms of authorization. (Perma vs. Temp via online C/R.) Therefore the decision not to update the non-subscription versions can only be a deliberate one, i.e. it is entirely by choice and not because it wouldnt be possible. And these early adopters of Roland softsynths were promised some form of 'compensation' too and after nearly 2 years it is all still 'coming soon' just like the 'own a synth after a year' promise/enticement.

So all in all it just doesnt look too good. And thats not the fault of the observer, its entirely Rolands fault. Like i said, they had a working auth system for perma-licenses in place during the pre-cloud time so its kinda hard to figure what the holdup might be. I would say that doubts are more than justified by now, and if still nothing happens during 2019...well...lets just say then i wouldnt take any bets that something will in 2020.

[SLiC]

Is this a new catogory? I diont remeber seeing it before!

Yes, it's new, that's why I mentioned it. It doesn't work yet - nothing downloads - but I wonder (hoping!) if this is extra "plugin" SRX expansions ("Internal") for an updated JV-1080 plugin that work as the original expansion cards, rather than having these extra plugins...

Either that, or it's a new category for another set of Concerto sampled instruments...

Makes sence, they could move SRX Keyboards etc to that catogory now- looks like they were playing around with it (it said Interna: rather than Internal?) and the Cloud has just gone to 'unavialbe' a few minutes ago (I was trying to download them!)

[SLiC]

Aside from the 'what happens when you cancel after 12 months' issue, I suspect most of us that are actually subscribed are very happy with the 'cost to value' and the quality of the plugs...

Its not the only issue though. As was rightly pointed out earlier by someone else, the very first users who bought into the pre-cloud perma-license model pretty much got stiffed in the end too since Roland now refuses to update these versions on the grounds that they are 'different products'. But this is of course total BS since anyone intelligent enough to know the difference between a reverb and a pizza can see that the products themselves are exactly the same except for the fact that they are employing slightly different forms of authorization. (Perma vs. Temp via online C/R.) Therefore the decision not to update the non-subscription versions can only be a deliberate one, i.e. it is entirely by choice and not because it wouldnt be possible. And these early adopters of Roland softsynths were promised some form of 'compensation' too and after nearly 2 years it is all still 'coming soon' just like the 'own a synth after a year' promise/enticement.

So all in all it just doesnt look too good. And thats not the fault of the observer, its entirely Rolands fault. Like i said, they had a working auth system for perma-licenses in place during the pre-cloud time so its kinda hard to figure what the holdup might be. I would say that doubts are more than justified by now, and if still nothing happens during 2019...well...lets just say then i wouldnt take any bets that something will in 2020.

Thats all true (and |I was a plug out owner as a system 1 user who was promised a 'special deal' ) but the 'current' status whilst you are subscribing (or just changing emails every month and getting it free!) is that 'it works', that the plug ins are update often and sound supurb and that it is great value for money.

I suspect most prospective and current users will judge it against that criteria mainly. Overall I am very happy irrespective of no special deal and no news on the 'Yours' program, to be honest I haven't given either any thought as I am enjoying the plugs far to much and it saved me from buying a System 8 keyboard (I was very close) so currently it has saved me a fortune

If they continue to add products at the rate they are doing it will get better and better value and harder for people to ignore....

[tristan-]

Amazing days. To have the entire SRX board collection in the box, along with all the new stuff emulated all the time by other devs is more than anything we've imagined back in the days!
All you have to do now is to make the damn music!

[rod_zero]

I really don't understand why the Roland cloud is good value, for 600 you get Komplete which is well more packed with useful stuff, synths that sre ten years ahead of Roland ones in terms of usability, GUI and support and it is a perpetual license.

Do the emulations sound good? yes, they do, but they feel like form the early 2000's functionality wise. I own a System 8 and not even using the plugouts with the HW and the HW for controlling the plugins make it enough good value to subscribe.

[Orbit-50]

I really don't understand why the Roland cloud is good value, for 600 you get Komplete which is well more packed with useful stuff, synths that sre ten years ahead of Roland ones in terms of usability, GUI and support and it is a perpetual license.

Do the emulations sound good? yes, they do, but they feel like form the early 2000's functionality wise. I own a System 8 and not even using the plugouts with the HW and the HW for controlling the plugins make it enough good value to subscribe.

What hardware instrument company has almost every single plugin developer been chasing to emulate their hardware sound for years and years? Roland. Now we all have a chance to get this stuff straight from the horses mouth. The hunt is over. Finally.

Yes, Native Instruments gives you lots of cool stuff. No doubt there, but the genuine "Roland" sound has been a huge staple in the music industry for decades and will continue to be so for years to come. Some might disagree, and that's all well and fine, but I'm one of those that gets it. If you want that Roland sound, you gotta have a Roland. Period. They know it, I know it, everybody knows it. This is why they've always protected their assets through use of fierce litigation and are now capitalizing on it and to be honest, I can't blame them one bit.

[rod_zero]

I really don't understand why the Roland cloud is good value, for 600 you get Komplete which is well more packed with useful stuff, synths that sre ten years ahead of Roland ones in terms of usability, GUI and support and it is a perpetual license.

Do the emulations sound good? yes, they do, but they feel like form the early 2000's functionality wise. I own a System 8 and not even using the plugouts with the HW and the HW for controlling the plugins make it enough good value to subscribe.

What hardware instrument company has almost every single plugin developer been chasing to emulate their hardware sound for years and years? Roland. Now we all have a chance to get this stuff straight from the horses mouth. The hunt is over. Finally.

Yes, Native Instruments gives you lots of cool stuff. No doubt there, but the genuine "Roland" sound has been a huge staple in the music industry for decades and will continue to be so for years to come. Some might disagree, and that's all well and fine, but I'm one of those that gets it. If you want that Roland sound, you gotta have a Roland. Period. They know it, I know it, everybody knows it. This is why they've always protected their assets through use of fierce litigation and are now capitalizing on it and to be honest, I can't blame them one bit.

There are lots of good emulations for Jupiter/Juno/101 outhere, I own a System 8 and I also love the roland sound but I definetely could live with Diva as a replacement (in fact I use Diva more than my system 8 when making music in the computer).

240 USD per year isn't that cheap vs other software in the market.

That being said the System 100 is quite unique, for me the most special of the plugouts and the one I have loaded in the 3rd slor of the system 8. The Sh02 and promars are also cool but I get mad at the lack of some features.

Which takes me to another point: the system 1 and system 8 are great ideas and the plugout concept for me is the best "hw-sw" integration any company has thought of, but they really neeed to step up the HW side: more plugout slots, more polyphony, more multitimbrality, more channnels through USB, more modulation, Aftertouch. Then maybe I would get much more value out of the cloud.

[SLiC]

I really don't understand why the Roland cloud is good value, for 600 you get Komplete which is well more packed with useful stuff, synths that sre ten years ahead of Roland ones in terms of usability, GUI and support and it is a perpetual license.

Do the emulations sound good? yes, they do, but they feel like form the early 2000's functionality wise. I own a System 8 and not even using the plugouts with the HW and the HW for controlling the plugins make it enough good value to subscribe.

Really. the GUI on Absynth is better

NI is great, but if you update even every two years it will end up costing more than the cloud (I have NI Ultimate!)

PS- Did you know NI was the fist VST company that ever offered 'subscription', you paid a yearly fee and then got all updates and any new release free....they dropped it after about 3 years.

[rod_zero]

I really don't understand why the Roland cloud is good value, for 600 you get Komplete which is well more packed with useful stuff, synths that sre ten years ahead of Roland ones in terms of usability, GUI and support and it is a perpetual license.

Do the emulations sound good? yes, they do, but they feel like form the early 2000's functionality wise. I own a System 8 and not even using the plugouts with the HW and the HW for controlling the plugins make it enough good value to subscribe.

Really. the GUI on Absynth is better

NI is great, but if you update even every two years it will end up costing more than the cloud (I have NI Ultimate!)

PS- Did you know NI was the fist VST company that ever offered 'subscription', you paid a yearly fee and then got all updates and any new release free....they dropped it after about 3 years.

But you can just don't buy the update and you receive updates to the current products you own.

[ghettosynth]

I really don't understand why the Roland cloud is good value, for 600 you get Komplete which is well more packed with useful stuff, synths that sre ten years ahead of Roland ones in terms of usability, GUI and support and it is a perpetual license.

Do the emulations sound good? yes, they do, but they feel like form the early 2000's functionality wise. I own a System 8 and not even using the plugouts with the HW and the HW for controlling the plugins make it enough good value to subscribe.

Really. the GUI on Absynth is better

NI is great, but if you update even every two years it will end up costing more than the cloud (I have NI Ultimate!)

PS- Did you know NI was the fist VST company that ever offered 'subscription', you paid a yearly fee and then got all updates and any new release free....they dropped it after about 3 years.

But you can just don't buy the update and you receive updates to the current products you own.

Yeah, why is it that people who are trying to justify subscriptions repeat the bullshit math provided by vendors? I have Ultimate as well, you don't update that even every other year. If the per product upgrade price doesn't make sense to you then you wait. Komplete doesn't come out once a year, it's more like an 18 month to two year cycle. So updating every other one on the half price sale to get the latest updates is $100 every three to four years. For that you get a number of new plugins or products and, for me, is generally worth the upgrade price.

I expect that I will do every other every other update with Ultimate. I'm on 11 now, I won't update Ultimate until 15.

If you love Roland synths, bully for you. I suspect that I own more vintage Roland hardware than most of you, but, I'm mostly ITB these days and I still don't feel that there's enough valuable variety in their offerings to pay $240 a year.